The bronze age and the Celtic world - Universal History Library

176 THE BRONZE AGE AND THE CELTIC WORLD
forms of patrilinear succession are not all alike. The laws on this subject varied between
the Ripuarian and the Sahc Franks, the British crown passes by a rule which differs from
that governing the descent of a peerage, and peerages granted by letters patent differ
from those dependent upon a writ of summons. I submitted the point recently to
the late Dr. Rivers, who told me that it was his opinion that several types of matrilinear
succession had probably exiisted and that he had found evidence of two in Melanesian
society.
I do not suggest that the evidence which I have cited shows the typical matrilinear
succession as it is commonly understood, or that among pre-Hellenic peoples " the father
did not count,"^ but it seems to hint that the succession was in the process of passing
from some form of matrilinear to some form of patrilinear descent. Perhaps it may
only indicate that the eldest child succeeded regardless of sex, but in any case there
appears to be sufficient evidence for assuming that in Minoan cities an heiress counted
for more politically than she did in " Achaean " households. It is well, too, to
remember in this connection that these Minoan tyrants were probably Prospectors
and that among another group of Prospectors, the Etruscans, " it is, of course, agreed
on all hands that such a system did exist.""
9 Murray (1907) 74. "> Rose (1920) 94.